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LUSU is a leader in environmental Management
Background
In February 2003 LUSU took a major step towards improving its environmental performance in producing its first environmental policy. The environmental policy was drawn up using a consultative process which allowed LUSU staff, Sabbaticals and Student Officers to comment on the final version. However, it was important to ensure that the final environmental policy balanced LUSU's mission of enhancing the 'Lancaster experience' for Lancaster University students and reducing LUSU's environmental impact. Since then the University has launched its own EMS and EP sets a number of challenging targets for LUSU to meet, as an organisation, in the areas of energy, waste and purchasing. The energy targets commit LUSU to reduce energy consumption purchasing energy from renewable sources. In the area of waste management LUSU aims to reduce the volume of waste to landfill and recycle as much as practicably possible. This is in addition to reducing the amount of paper used for printing, copying and publications. Finally, targets for purchasing include sourcing goods for retail from suppliers graded A-C by National Union of Students Services Limited and promoting a purchasing policy which will give preference, as far as practicable, to those products and services which cause the least harm to the environment.
Environmental benefits
On a more prosaic level, a number of recycling schemes are operational, within LUSU, and in April 2003 LUSU signed a contract with Ecotricity to supply a proportion of electricity to the Sugarhouse nightclub from renewable sources. The proportion supplied will increase over time as more renewable energy comes online nationally. Furthermore, the revenue generated by Ecotricity is reinvested into new renewable energy projects in the UK.
LUSU has continued to develop partnerships with a number of local organisations. Beneficial outcomes include the production of the Local Agenda 21 Recycling Directory for the Lancaster District and the granting of referral status by Furniture Matters to LUSU's Housing office. This means that LUSU members can be referred to Furniture Matters to obtain furniture at low cost.
The only Student Union in the UK with an Environmental Management System
The final piece of the environmental management jigsaw was completed in January 2004 with the production of LUSU's Environmental Management System. This meets the specifications outlined in the international standard ISO 14001 and covers a wide range of areas from monitoring to environmental training all of which are crucial to successful environmental management within any organisation. LUSU is the only Student Union in the UK to have implemented an environmental management system.
More information
LUSU employs an Environmental Co-ordinator to implement the environmental management strategy and support the Green Committee in its environmental campaigning and awareness raising work. LUSU Environmental Co-ordinator with any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns.